Review: Introduction to Blood

Blood, which consists of cells and cell fragments suspended in an intercellular matrix, is one of the connective tissues in the body.

Formed elements are the cellular components of the blood, and the liquid part is plasma.

Blood is the primary transport medium that is responsible for continuously supplying nutrients and oxygen to the active cells in the body.

The three activities of the blood are transportation, regulation, and protection.

Erythrocytes are tiny biconcave disks, and their primary function is to transport oxygen and, to a lesser extent, carbon dioxide.

In the tissue spaces leukocytes provide a defense against organisms that cause disease and either promote or inhibit inflammatory responses.

Two main groups of leukocytes in the blood are granulocytes and agranulocytes; the cells that develop granules in the cytoplasm are called granulocytes, and those that do not have granules are called agranulocytes.

Thrombocytes become sticky and clump together to form platelet plugs that close breaks and tears in blood vessels.

The production of formed elements, or blood cells, is called hemopoiesis.

Quiz

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